A Brazilian woman told New Zealand police that she was allegedly raped by the player at a hotel in Auckland in March 2026.
The alleged victim provided Globo with photos of her injuries, showing multiple bruises across her body.
According to her account, on the evening of March 27, while staying at the same hotel as the players as an intern, Mendes allegedly entered her room, strangled her, punched her, bit her as she tried to defend herself, and raped her.
The Brazilian woman and her husband reportedly sent formal legal notices on May 10 to the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA, including a detailed account of the alleged incident, supporting evidence, and a request for Mendes to be removed from the World Cup…
No response was received.
In addition, a WhatsApp conversation revealed by Globo shows a Cape Verde Federation official telling the alleged victim that the matter was “Ryan’s personal problem,” implying that it did not concern the Federation.
